Lilacs and Lone Wolves (Giyu Tomioka x Reader)

Chapter 2: Mismatched Coat

In the split second, you had to glance at the Demon Slayer beside you, his face was contorted into a snarl; it almost seemed to remind you of a wolf.

There was no time to think further before serrated wood spears were launched from all directions. As fast as they were launched, the man beside you seemed to move faster, darting in between each one. His blade moved with him as if it was an extension of his arm, each arc of his sapphire blade sent tidal waves trailing behind him.

You matched his pace, willing your heart to beat quickly. There weren't too many instances where a high-ranked Hunter would need to pull out their bayonet and use breathing techniques like water breathing of the Slayer next to you, as a good shot could snipe a demon before a fight even broke out.

However, training with the short sun-steel sword was equally as rigorous as the rifle, and Hunters were no exception when it came to mastering a breathing technique. The training you endured over the last decade of your life stood at the forefront of your mind as you danced through the attacks, finding your back against Giyu's as you fought on the defensive.

You flipped the bayonet in your hand, adjusting your grip before getting into position as roots erupted from the ground around you.

"First Form: Sharp Thorns." You murmured, letting your blade thrust forward, slicing through several roots that had launched themselves at you and the man behind you. Your blade flashed a dark green, the illusion of oak leaves fluttering around it as you moved.

You glanced behind your shoulder, watching as Giyu seemed to dance through the roots, jumping up to the lower branches of one of the trees. You saw his line of reasoning and began to cover him from below, slashing roots that followed him as he jumped from branch to branch.

The demon laughed maniacally, its voice grating on your ears so badly that you winced.

"You think you can stop me?" It asked with a grin, before flicking his hand. The branches that bound Matthias yanked his limbs back, earning an excruciating scream.

You ground your teeth to dust, vision blurring as you dodged a root. If you didn't act fast, Matthias was bound to lose a limb... or all of them.

"Hurry the fuck up!" You called out to Giyu, he was jumping between branches, avoiding the ones that tried to impale him. He didn't respond, but he never seemed to acknowledge you anyway.

You found your way back to the center of the ring, flipping your rifle around where it landed squarely in your hands. In less than a second, the branches holding Matthias's arms were blown apart. He took the opportunity to unsheathe his bayonet and free his legs, landing next to you feet first.

You caught his arm, concern written across your face, "Are you able to fight?" You asked him, blocking a serrated branch that came barreling your way.

"I'll be fine." He shrugged your hand off, pulling his gun off his back and shooting at each branch that stood in Giyu's way, giving the Slayer a clear shot.

In a swing that your eyes could barely register, Giyu decapitated the demon. The live branches and roots fell limp as soon as the head thumped to the ground. The demon slayer jumped down beside it, barely making a sound as he sheathed his sword.

The trees that blockaded the three into a ring shrunk down to their original size, the leaves flitting in the breeze as if a near blood bath hadn't just occurred. You turned to Matthias once more, giving him a once over, before nodding in satisfaction that he was unharmed. He shot you a glare, but you ignored it. The teenage boy glared so often that it didn't even register as disrespect anymore.

You focused your attention on Giyu, who was already walking away. The fucking bastard, he wasn't even going to make sure you and Matthias were okay? You stormed behind him, this time grabbing the sleeve of his mismatched jacket.